[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 22, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4700-S4701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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    SENATE RESOLUTION 281--RECOGNIZING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
FOUNDATION FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH AND ITS CRITICAL ROLE 
   IN AMERICA'S BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH STRATEGY BY ADVANCING BIOMEDICAL 
  RESEARCH AND THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, THE 
               WORLD'S PREMIER BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AGENCY

  Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Mr. Burr) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 281

       Whereas Congress chartered the Foundation for the National 
     Institutes of Health (referred to in this preamble as the 
     ``FNIH'') to support the mission of the National Institutes 
     of Health (referred to in this preamble as the ``NIH''), 
     which is to advance research in pursuit of fundamental 
     knowledge that will lead to better health outcomes for all;
       Whereas June 26, 2021, marks 25 years since FNIH commenced 
     its work to improve health outcomes for the people of the 
     United States by facilitating groundbreaking research and 
     catalyzing innovation and discovery to answer the toughest 
     scientific questions;
       Whereas FNIH is recognized by Congress, NIH, and the 
     biomedical community as a model for aligning public and 
     private partners around a common cause that advances 
     breakthrough biomedical discoveries and improves the quality 
     of people's lives;
       Whereas, among the hundreds of programs FNIH has 
     facilitated, the Grand Challenges in Global Health 
     partnership, founded in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda 
     Gates Foundation, achieved scientific breakthroughs against 
     deadly diseases in the world's poorest countries and elevated 
     the role of FNIH as a leader in building alliances for 
     biomedical research;
       Whereas FNIH, NIH, and the Food and Drug Administration of 
     the Department of Health and Human Services launched the 
     Accelerating Medicines Partnership as a public-private 
     collaboration to pursue new methods to develop diagnostics 
     and treatments for Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes, 
     autoimmune disorders, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia;
       Whereas the FNIH created a new model for clinical trials 
     through initiatives to fight breast cancer and lung cancer, 
     continues to bring together partners to identify, develop, 
     and qualify biomarkers to improve drug discovery and 
     regulatory decisionmaking, and recognizes and supports 
     trailblazing researchers, some of whom have won other 
     prestigious scientific prizes, including the Nobel Prize;
       Whereas FNIH supports caregivers of NIH Clinical Center 
     patients through the Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge, a 
     temporary residence for caregivers whose close presence helps 
     to sustain patients who volunteer for NIH research that was 
     constructed and is maintained by the FNIH on the NIH campus;
       Whereas FNIH answered NIH's call to action to address the 
     largest pandemic in a century by launching and coordinating 
     the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and 
     Vaccines (``ACTIV'') initiative in partnership with numerous 
     government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and 
     biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate the most promising 
     COVID-19 vaccines and treatments; and
       Whereas FNIH remains an indispensable institution to the 
     biomedical research mission of the NIH and the people of the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Foundation for 
     the National Institutes of Health and its critical role in 
     advancing biomedical research and the mission of the National 
     Institutes of Health, the world's premier biomedical research 
     agency;
       (2) applauds the Foundation for the National Institutes of 
     Health for its leadership and ongoing efforts to advance 
     human health outcomes through innovative public-private 
     partnerships that achieve groundbreaking biomedical research 
     results;
       (3) commends the Foundation for the National Institutes of 
     Health for its efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic 
     through the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions 
     and Vaccines initiative and accelerate the development of the 
     most promising treatments and vaccines for COVID-19; and
       (4) reiterates that the Foundation for the National 
     Institutes of Health, in partnership with the National 
     Institutes of Health, is a vital and essential component of 
     biomedical research strategy of the United States.
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     SENATE RESOLUTION 282--RECOGNIZING JULY 1, 2021, AS THE 100TH 
ANNIVERSARY OF THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE AND COMMENDING THE 
  SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE TO CONGRESS AND THE 
                             UNITED STATES

  Ms. HASSAN (for herself, Mr. Paul, Mr. Carper, Mr. Grassley, Mr.

[[Page S4701]]

Padilla, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Peters, Mr. Lankford, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Braun, 
Ms. Warren, Mr. Portman, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. 
Cardin, and Mr. Romney) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 282

       Whereas the General Accounting Office, predecessor to the 
     Government Accountability Office (referred to in this 
     preamble as the ``GAO''), opened its doors on July 1, 1921, 
     following the enactment of the Budget and Accounting Act, 
     1921 (Public Law 67-13; 42 Stat. 20);
       Whereas the need, identified by Congress following World 
     War I, for more information and better control of 
     expenditures made by the Federal Government was filled by the 
     creation of the independent GAO;
       Whereas Congress provided the GAO with a broad mandate--
       (1) to investigate how Federal dollars are spent; and
       (2) to review all Federal expenditures;
       Whereas, as the size and expenditures of the Federal 
     Government grew during the Great Depression and World War II, 
     the GAO became overwhelmed with fiscal audits, which pushed 
     Congress to amend the authority of the GAO to enable it to 
     assist Federal agencies with improving their accounting and 
     spending controls;
       Whereas Congress amended the authority of the GAO to expand 
     its work beyond financial audits to performance audits to 
     determine how Federal agencies and programs performed and met 
     their objectives in the wake of the Great Society programs of 
     the late 1960s;
       Whereas the GAO shifted its priorities in the late 1900s 
     and early 2000s--
       (1) to highlight high risk areas for Federal Government 
     waste and operation failures; and
       (2) to work to improve Federal financial management and 
     budgeting;
       Whereas, as of the date of adoption of this resolution, the 
     GAO is known around the world as a leader and source of 
     objective, nonpartisan information on government operations 
     through its work examining cost, effectiveness, and other 
     factors related to the success of Federal programs;
       Whereas, in addition to its field offices across the United 
     States, the GAO operates field offices around the world to 
     make it easier to access and monitor Federal Government 
     operations that extend across the globe;
       Whereas the GAO employs approximately 3,200 people and has 
     been recognized as being one of the top workplaces in the 
     Federal Government for several years by its multi-
     disciplinary workforce, which includes analysts, auditors, 
     lawyers, economists, scientists, actuaries, law enforcement 
     and security personnel, healthcare experts, and education, 
     public policy, computer science, and cybersecurity personnel, 
     among others;
       Whereas the GAO averaged a $165 return on every $1 invested 
     in the GAO between fiscal years 2016 and 2020 as a result of 
     Federal agencies and Congress acting on recommendations made 
     by the GAO;
       Whereas the financial benefit to the Federal Government 
     resulting from the work of the GAO totaled--
       (1) in fiscal year 2020, $77,600,000,000; and
       (2) in the past 20 years combined, over $1,200,000,000,000; 
     and
       Whereas, in addition to serving as the preeminent 
     independent government watchdog agency in the world, the GAO 
     provides additional services, which include--
       (1) writing legal opinions at the request of Congress or in 
     response to a bid protest;
       (2) authoring resources and standards for auditors around 
     the world;
       (3) operating a hotline for the public to report waste, 
     fraud, abuse, or mismanagement of government funds; and
       (4) providing testimony before Congress on a multitude of 
     topics: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Government 
     Accountability Office (referred to in this resolution as the 
     ``GAO'') on July 1, 2021;
       (2) commends the GAO for 100 years of service to Congress 
     and the United States as the preeminent independent 
     government watchdog agency in the world;
       (3) offers its continued support to allow the GAO--
       (A) to fulfill its mandates as required by law;
       (B) to respond to requests made by Members of Congress; and
       (C) to aid the Federal Government in improving its 
     stewardship of taxpayer dollars;
       (4) recognizes Eugene Dodaro, the Comptroller General and 
     head of the GAO as of the date of adoption of this 
     resolution, and the dedicated and professional staff of the 
     GAO who work diligently to produce fact-based reports, 
     thoughtful recommendations, and sound legal decisions; and
       (5) will continue to partner with the GAO in the pursuit of 
     its mission--
       (A) to support Congress in meeting its constitutional 
     responsibilities; and
       (B) to help improve the performance and accountability of 
     the Federal Government for the benefit of the people of the 
     United States.

  Ms. HASAN. Mr. President, it is my great honor. as Chair of the U.S. 
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees 
Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight to recognize 
July 1, 2021, as the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the 
Government Accountability Office (GAO), and commend it for its service 
to the people of the United States. I am grateful to Comptroller 
General Gene Dodaro and to GAO's 3,200 employees who work hard to 
ensure that federal programs are well managed and fiscally responsible. 
As we recognize the GAO, I also encourage my colleagues to continue to 
partner with the GAO as we work together to help improve the 
performance of the federal government for the benefit of the American 
people. I urge my colleagues to join me in adopting this resolution.

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